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Deborah Cooke Obituary
Deborah Vitek Cooke, a long-time resident of Montlake, died on August 14, 2017 at home among family, and with the support of Evergreen Hospice. She was 72.
Debby was born in Washington, D.C. to John C. McClintock, a Latin American expert in the State Department, and Frances S. McClintock, a Democratic activist and feminist. After graduating from Holton-Arms high school, Debby studied classical antiquity at George Washington University, and archaeology in Naples, Italy. After graduation, she moved to New York City with her first husband, Jack Vitek, where they had two children, Megan Vitek Fass and Nicholas Vitek. The marriage ended in divorce.
Following her marriage to Edwin F. ("Ed") Cooke, a diplomat with the State Department, Debby and her children lived abroad in Taiwan and Indonesia, as well as Alexandria, Virginia. After retiring as an editor for advisory firms, Debby volunteered with the Peace Corps in Macedonia until the outbreak of war in the Balkans. Debby and Ed then traveled throughout Europe in their Volkswagen camper, which Debby would later use to hike, camp and explore the forests and seaside parks of the Pacific Northwest.
After Ed's death, Debby devoted herself to creating communities like the Crones of Puget Sound, which "embrace old age with power, passion, and purpose." She helped form an intergenerational "village" through Wider Horizons of Central Seattle. Debby was a prolific writer and voracious reader, and cherished her book club. She will be remembered as an incredibly vivacious, fun-loving grandmother to Ben and Nate Fass, Amelia, Miles and Malcolm Vitek, and Cameron Cooke.
A memorial will be held in her home at 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 17th.
Debby was predeceased by her younger brother, Robert Michael McClintock. Besides her children, she is survived by her step-son David Cooke, six grandchildren, her brother John M. McClintock of Baltimore, Maryland, and her sisters, Lucia Payne of Fairfield, Conn., and Susan Vas Dias of Bonar Bridge, Scotland.
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Memories and Condolences
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3 Entries
Ruth Rendely
September 21, 2024
I was best friend with Debbie at George Washington University for the four years I was there. We stayed friends until I left the D.C. area permanently and lost touch with each other. I treasure the many times together as well as a long-distance correspondence. I will never forget when I was at her home during the college years and she picked up the phone with an incoming call from the Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, and yelled out to her mom: "Dean Rusk is on the phone for you.!"
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Kim Leverton Cavendish
May 31, 2020
I just found out that dear Debby is gone. I was writing her just to make sure she was okay amidst all the recent craziness in the world. I hope her children see this note: Debby was my best friend in high school at Holton Arms
and I loved her very much. We shared so many fun times and I considered her to be a huge influence in my own life. With time and distance we didn't see each other much after the 1970's -- but we always knew we were great friends. I hate that she is gone and hate that I cannot see her again and tell her what she always meant to me. Much love to her family. Kim
Amy Lewis Gambill
May 7, 2020
5/7/20 - Megan and Nicholas - just seeing this now and so saddened. I hope you are well. I am back in Alexandria now. Been looking thru old photos and thinking of you. I wish we had seen each other more... xo Amy Lewis Gambill (Sherry Lewis daughter)
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